How to Safely Migrate OpenAI Codex and Local Work to a New Mac

Switching to a new Mac and signing into the same OpenAI account does not automatically restore a user's complete Codex environment, including local conversations, custom skills, automations, and unpushed Git work. A simple file copy or Git clone is insufficient and can overwrite critical machine-specific settings such as authentication tokens and installation IDs on the new device. A safer migration involves inspecting the old Mac first, selectively transferring only necessary workspace data via SSH, and backing up the destination before making any replacements. Both Codex instances should be closed before the final data swap, and users must verify conversation integrity, Git state, and file counts afterward. The old Mac should be kept intact until the new environment has been fully tested in real use.